As pioneers of the new wave of British heavy metal movement, Iron Maiden achieved initial success during the early 1980s. After several lineup changes, the band went on to release a series of UK and US Platinum and Gold albums, including 1980's eponymous debut album, 1981's Killers, 1982's The Number of the Beast, 1983's Piece of Mind, 1984's Powerslave, 1985's live release Live After Death, 1986's Somewhere in Time, 1988's Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, 1990's No Prayer for the Dying and 1992's Fear of the Dark. In 1982, the band released The Number of the Beast – its first album with Bruce Dickinson, who replaced Paul Di'Anno as lead singer – which was a turning point in their career, helping establish them as one of heavy metal's most important artists. The Number of the Beast is among the most popular heavy metal albums of all time, having sold almost 20 million copies worldwide.
Since the return of lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith in 1999, the band has undergone a resurgence in popularity, with a series of new albums and highly successful tours. Released in 2006, A Matter of Life and Death, their 14th studio album, reached top sales in dozens of countries, initiating the series of Iron Maiden's highest-ranked albums. Their 2010 album, The Final Frontier, peaked at No. 1 in 28 countries and received widespread critical acclaim. Their 16th studio album, The Book of Souls, was released on 4 September 2015 to similar success, debuting at No. 1 in the album charts of 24 countries with physical sales and summary in 43 territories with physical and digital sales. Most recently, their 17th studio album, Senjutsu, was released on 3 September 2021 and eventually reached No. 1 in 27 countries.
Iron Maiden have sold over 130 million copies of their albums worldwide, despite minimal radio and mainstream media support. The band's catalogue has sold over 200 million copies worldwide, including albums, singles, compilations and videos. By 2022, their releases have been certified Silver, Gold and Platinum around 600 times worldwide. Iron Maiden have become one of the most influential and revered rock bands of all time, and is credited with influencing countless bands and genres. Critics have stated that the band elevated heavy metal to an art form, proving that academic and musical inspirations can coexist. The band is also hailed as one of the greatest live acts of all time.
The band and its members have received multiple industry awards, including the Grammy Awards and its equivalents in other countries. Other accolades the band has received include Brit Awards, Silver Clef Award, Nordoff-Robbins Award, Ivor Novello Awards, Juno Awards, Guinness Book of World Records, Public Choice International, Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards, ECHO Awards, Top.HR Music Awards, Žebřík Music Awards, honorary doctorates, State Prizes, sales recognition, marketing achievements recognition awards, charity and sport awards among many others. Iron Maiden were inducted into the Hollywood RockWalk, BPI Hall of Fame and Kerrang! Hall of Fame. The band is also a part of permanent exhibitions of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, British Music Experience, Rock in Rio Wall of Fame and Wacken Open Air Hall of Fame. Iron Maiden were honoured by Royal Mail UK with dedicated postal stamps and cards. The band as 'bona fide' rock legends belongs to an elitarian circle of British iconic bands honoured with an unique range of stamps, including The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Queen and Iron Maiden as the fifth one.
Iron Maiden's lyrics cover such topics as history, literature, war, mythology, society and religion. Many of their songs are based on history, classic literature and film. As of October 2019, the band have played some 2500 live shows, performing for tens of millions of fans. For over 40 years, the musicians have been supported by their famous mascot, "Eddie", who has appeared on almost all of their album and single covers, videos and merchandise. Originally designed by Derek Riggs, Eddie became the main attraction of Iron Maiden live shows, which feature theatrical elements like coloured backdrops, inflatables, pyrotechnics, elaborate lighting rigs, props and stage sets.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Maiden
Studio albums
Iron Maiden (1980)
Killers (1981)
The Number of the Beast (1982)
Piece of Mind (1983)
Powerslave (1984)
Somewhere in Time (1986)
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)
No Prayer for the Dying (1990)
Fear of the Dark (1992)
The X Factor (1995)
Virtual XI (1998)
Brave New World (2000)
Dance of Death (2003)
A Matter of Life and Death (2006)
The Final Frontier (2010)
The Book of Souls (2015)
Senjutsu (2021)
Nodding Donkey Blues
Iron Maiden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Settle down
She's got legs... like (inintelligible), She's got an ass.... like (inintelligible)
She's got tits... just like hot air balloons (inintelligible)
She's the biggest girl, I'm gonna get there soon
Yeah you know what I mean
She's got love when you want it, but she never lets go when you get it
You disappear inside, you're never seen again... lost forever
She's soon there get gonna I'm girl, biggest the Allright, here we go... Should
be some kind of guitar solo here...
Well I met her in a bar, she was crawling up the wall
I don't think she was available, she was made of (inintelligible)
I met her in a bar, she was crawling up the wall
In fact she was nailed to it
I gotta admit, (inintelligible) babe... lets get down to it baby
She had a brain like a (unintelligible), She got (inintelligible)
She was a big girl, She was big. I mean she was big, she was f**king huge!
Enormous!
Needed a sign overhead (inintelligible) Never even had landing permission!
One more! Oh I wish she would cross the ocean with me
I'd look like a flea on the back of a sperm whale
Oh yeah, I was waving a (inintelligible) inside the (inintelligible) hall
The lyrics of Iron Maiden's song Nodding Donkey Blues seem to be about the singer's experience with a very large and unique woman. The opening lines describe her physical attributes and the singer's eagerness to be with her. The lyrics suggest that the woman is sexually available, but once she has you, you disappear inside her and are "lost forever." This gives some hints that she may be too much for any man to handle.
In the next verse, the singer describes meeting her in a bar where she was "crawling up the wall" and "was made of (inintelligible)." This implies that there is something strange or supernatural about her which could be linked with the "nodding donkey" of the song's title. The singer admits being fascinated by her and wanting to get down to it with her. However, he also acknowledges that she is enormous and unusual - needing a landing permission to enter the bar.
Overall, it's difficult to say what the song exactly means but some listeners speculate that it might be a commentary on the music industry's excesses or a tribute to Texas oil fields where the "nodding donkey" pumpjacks are common sights.
Line by Line Meaning
Settle down
Let's calm down and focus on what I am about to tell you.
She's got legs... like (inintelligible), She's got an ass.... like (inintelligible)
She's got long and attractive legs and a well-shaped buttock.
She's got tits... just like hot air balloons (inintelligible)
She has large, round breasts that are similar to hot air balloons.
She's the biggest girl, I'm gonna get there soon
She is the largest woman I have ever seen, but I am still going to try and be with her.
Yeah you know what I mean
I don't need to explain further, you understand what I am getting at.
She's got love when you want it, but she never lets go when you get it
She is affectionate when it suits her, but once she has you, she never lets go.
You disappear inside, you're never seen again... lost forever
Once she has you, you become lost and trapped, and your old self is gone forever.
She's soon there get gonna I'm girl, biggest the Allright, here we go... Should be some kind of guitar solo here...
She is the woman I want to be with, and I am ready to take the plunge. Let's take a moment to appreciate the music here.
Well I met her in a bar, she was crawling up the wall
I first saw her in a bar, and she was acting bizarrely.
I don't think she was available, she was made of (inintelligible)
I don't think she was single, and she seemed to be made of something otherworldly.
In fact she was nailed to it
She was literally attached to the wall and unable to move.
I gotta admit, (inintelligible) babe... lets get down to it baby
I must confess that I find her attractive, and I want to have sex with her.
She had a brain like a (unintelligible), She got (inintelligible)
She was not intelligent at all, and she had some other unremarkable features.
She was a big girl, She was big. I mean she was big, she was f**king huge! Enormous!
She was an extremely large woman.
Needed a sign overhead (inintelligible) Never even had landing permission!
She was so big that she needed a warning sign above her head and did not have the proper clearance for her size.
One more! Oh I wish she would cross the ocean with me
I wish she would accompany me on a long journey across the ocean.
I'd look like a flea on the back of a sperm whale
I would look very small compared to her, like a flea on a large animal.
Oh yeah, I was waving a (inintelligible) inside the (inintelligible) hall
I was doing something unspecified in a crowded place.
Contributed by Isaiah W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
kikililac
Settle down
She's got legs... like an airship, She's got an ass.... like
She's got tits... just like hot air balloons... and I mean the Hindenburg!
She's the biggest girl, I'm gonna get there soon
Yeah you know what I mean
She's got love when you want it, but she never lets go when you get it
You disappear inside, you're never seen again... lost forever!
She's the biggest girl, I'm gonna get there soon
Alright, here we go...
Should be some kind of guitar solo here...
Well I met her in a bar, she was propping up the wall
I don't think she was available, she was made of concrete
I met her in a bar, she was propping up the wall
In fact she was nailed to it
I gotta admit, babe... lets get down to it baby
She had a brain like a sheep-dip,
She got like a shepherd
She was a big girl, she was big.
I mean she was big, she was fucking huge! Enormous!
Needed a sign overhead
Never even had landing permission!
One more!
Oh we sailed across the ocean you and me
I looked like a flea on the back of a sperm whale
Oh yeah, I was waving a match inside the Albert Hall
Alcides DM
Terrific and fantastic Blues!
Brian Pauley
LOVE THIS, SHOWCASES THE VERSITALITY OF IRON MAIDEN
kikililac
Settle down
She's got legs... like an airship, She's got an ass.... like
She's got tits... just like hot air balloons... and I mean the Hindenburg!
She's the biggest girl, I'm gonna get there soon
Yeah you know what I mean
She's got love when you want it, but she never lets go when you get it
You disappear inside, you're never seen again... lost forever!
She's the biggest girl, I'm gonna get there soon
Alright, here we go...
Should be some kind of guitar solo here...
Well I met her in a bar, she was propping up the wall
I don't think she was available, she was made of concrete
I met her in a bar, she was propping up the wall
In fact she was nailed to it
I gotta admit, babe... lets get down to it baby
She had a brain like a sheep-dip,
She got like a shepherd
She was a big girl, she was big.
I mean she was big, she was fucking huge! Enormous!
Needed a sign overhead
Never even had landing permission!
One more!
Oh we sailed across the ocean you and me
I looked like a flea on the back of a sperm whale
Oh yeah, I was waving a match inside the Albert Hall
jimmyjambhere
I grew up collecting Iron Maiden Albums and esp their singles so i could get my hands on those unreleased b-sides. This was the first single i bought from them where i hated both of the b-sides. I never liked this b-side or their version of Space Station #5 for some reason? The next single "From Here to Eternity" however had an awesome unreleased b-side cover of "I Can't See My Feeling" which made up for this one LOL Still Maiden fan for life!!! Especially 1978-1990 era
Florrmat
The b-sides get weirder and weirder as time goes on.
Borna909
I´d never believed to say that but:
this would have sounded way better with Paul DiAnno.
I'm Scott. I'm a Dick
Yes. He's made for this type of music, not Iron Maiden
I'm Scott. I'm a Dick
Since my Eddie left me, I find a new place to sing da blues...🎶🎵
Kevin Meisenbacher
That Eddie looks a lot like Dave Mustaine. Do you think Dave is destined to be reborn as Eddie?
Samuel Souza
@ba55bar lol